Walking holidays in West Wales

West Wales offers superb walking country: walk along cliff tops and sandy beaches, along wooded valleys and through forestry plantations, over rugged mountains and through meadows. There are short walks to stretch your legs and get a breath of fresh air, circular walks so you don't need to cover the same ground twice, family walks which are perfect for groups of different abilities or stamina, long walks and more challenging hikes with steep gradients and/or cliff edges.

Where shall we walk today?

In West Wales, there is a wide choice of contrasting walks to suit your mood, your energy or the weather. See our full list of walks to choose the perfect route for you.

On breezy days or when it’s just too hot in the sunshine you can choose a woodland walk where dappled shade will provide protection from the elements. On windy winter days, a beach walk can be thrilling, watching the breakers crash against the cliffs, sending clouds of spray far into the air or booming in the hollow of a cave.

There are some enchanting inland walks taking you along the banks of our mighty rivers: the Dyfi, Teifi, Cleddau, Loughor, Taf, Towy and Gwendraeth. The valleys of the Gwaun and Nevern rivers in Pembrokeshire are places of intense beauty and peace, well worth exploring. The open moorland of the Preseli Hills and Cambrian Mountains offer scenic walks with far-reaching views.

This area is renowned for its coastal walks, of course. Walkers who take to the Wales Coast Path are well-rewarded with outstanding scenery. The Pembrokeshire Coast Path is perhaps the most famous but the Ceredigion Coast Path and Carmarthenshire Coast Path have their own unique characters. A walk along the coastal path is the only way to discover some of the hidden delights of the West Wales coast.

The Countryside Code

Do familiarise yourself with the Countryside Code before you set off on your first walk.

• Be safe - plan ahead and follow any signs
• Leave gates and property as you find them
• Protect plants and animals, and take your litter home
• Keep dogs under close control
• Consider other people

It's important to note the rule: leave gates and property as you find them. This means that if a gate is open, leave it open; don’t assume that it should be closed. It may be open to allow livestock access to water, for example.

Dog owners should take care to read the detail concerning general restrictions as well as special rules which apply in particular situations and times of year e.g. during bird nesting season. See the details for individual walks for any restrictions concerning dogs on the route. Where the walk description mentions fields and livestock, this means that there may be sheep or cattle grazing and that even if your dog is on a lead it may be unwise to cross such areas.

What to take on your walk

• Stout footwear with ankle support and waterproofing ideally
• Trousers rather than shorts are often appropriate due to danger of contact with nettles, brambles etc if you happen to be walking a route which is not regularly maintained
• In summer, a light waterproof jacket is probably enough but in winter make sure you have a good quality water repellent jacket - and trousers if you want to avoid getting soaked from the waist down. If you don’t have waterproof trousers, do make sure you have a change of clothes in the car just in case.
• Plenty of water to drink. Don't drink water from streams and rivers without boiling it, no matter how clear and fresh the water may look.
• Snacks such as dried fruit and nuts
• A hat and sunscreen in summer
• Fully charged mobile phone

For more challenging routes, tell someone where you plan to walk before setting out in case of loss of mobile signal, and take:

• A compass and whistle
• Warm outer layers including scarf and gloves
• Hiking poles
• Line a small rucksack with a plastic bag in order to ensure your possessions stay dry
• Waterproof matches or paraffin lighter and kindling such as fire sticks or cotton wool balls dipped in petroleum jelly and wrapped in tin foil. survival blanket
• Petroleum jelly for moisturising lips, heels etc

If you are planning to include significant altitudes on your route, such as in the Cambrian Mountains or Brecon Beacons, please be aware of the risk of unexpected changes of weather conditions. Even in the summer, mist can suddenly descend making it very difficult to orientate yourself and lowering the temperature considerably.

Useful maps for walking in West Wales

Where possible, we have noted in the walk details that there are steep sections but more detail can be gleaned from Ordnance Survey Explorer Sheets. These give 2.5 inches to 1 mile detail and contour lines clearly show gradients.

There are 10 maps which cover the West Wales counties of Ceredigion, Pembrokeshire and Carmarthenshire, listed here with sheet numbers:
OL35 - North Pembrokeshire
OL36 - South Pembrokeshire
OL12 - Brecon Beacons National Park - Western and Central
OL23 - Snowdonia
177 - Carmarthen and Kidwelly
178 - Llanelli and Ammanford
185 - Newcastle Emlyn
186 - Llandeilo and Brechfa
187 - Llandovery
198 - Cardigan and New Quay
199 - Lampeter
213 - Aberystwyth and Cwm Rheidol

Refreshments during your walk

Do bear in mind that where a walk features a pub or café en route, this often means “at one end or the other”. Pubs and cafés have variable opening times, so please call ahead to avoid disappointment. Make sure you carry water and snacks with you just in case.

Disclaimer

The information about the walks is given in good faith. We have not tried all the walks ourselves and we take no responsibility for the accuracy of walk details and routes, nor for the condition of the paths, trails and their signposting. Paths are subject to closure due to landslides, erosion or other factors so we advise that you check for notices before you set out.